Tag Archives: California

Let’s not gush about our clean energy options

Estimates regarding the rate of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil blowout get spewier with each succeeding news cycle. The mess being made requires that we Americans consider what we are willing to pay—economically and environmentally— for energy. I didn’t see President Obama’s live televised remarks to the nation on the BP oil spill but watched itContinue reading “Let’s not gush about our clean energy options”

California’s Deforestation Due to Wildfire

This is a map of the National Forests in California. These forests comprise about half of the forestland in California. The Forest Service graphic below shows the results of the 2000-2009 fire season in California. About 1% of California’s fires chalk up 90% of the total acreage burned. Half a million acres that had theContinue reading “California’s Deforestation Due to Wildfire”

Hot Air Cuts California Forests Out of Carbon Offset Program

In order for California’s proposed cap and trade system to be anything but a mockery we need to rip down the “Do Not Disturb” signs on much of California’s forests and commit ourselves to harvesting in California’s forests, even (gasp) clearcutting. Foresters and forest landowners aren’t the only ones who feel this way; the UnitedContinue reading “Hot Air Cuts California Forests Out of Carbon Offset Program”

Governor Schwarzenegger, AB 32, and Global Warming: Code Redd

“When the search for truth is confused with political advocacy, the pursuit of knowledge is reduced to the quest for power.“- Alston Chase, author of “Playing God in Yellowstone.” ‘Redd’ is another ort in the acronym soup of climate-speak from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); it stands for “Reducing Emissions fromContinue reading “Governor Schwarzenegger, AB 32, and Global Warming: Code Redd”

Forests and Climate Change, Not Clearcut

Will the Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit filed against Cal Fire have the putative result of slowing global warming? Not likely, probably the exact opposite effect.

Wildfires and CO2

I have read a number of articles, blog posts, op-eds, etc., declaring that timber harvesting is not the answer to the problem–timber harvesting is the problem. Well the old axiom about a picture holds,  a picture is worth a thousand words. With that in mind, check out Tom Knudson’s article, Fire, climate and thinning overContinue reading “Wildfires and CO2”

Humboldt Wildland Multicultural Scholarships

Humboldt State has funds from the USDA Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program for multicultural freshman and transfer students attending Humboldt State University starting fall 2009. You must enroll in and be on track to graduate from the Forestry or Rangeland Resource major with your choice of options: Rangeland Resource Science Options: Wildland Soils Rangeland ResourceContinue reading “Humboldt Wildland Multicultural Scholarships”

Compete, Collaborate, Innovate

…and see the sausage being made. California Uses Internet ‘Wiki’ to Develop California’s Green Chemistry Regulations At the end of January, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) launched a “wiki” to gather comment for development of ‘Green Chemistry’ regulations. Wikis, such as Wikipedia.org, allow anyone to contribute or modify content using simple on-line tools.Continue reading “Compete, Collaborate, Innovate”

Tree Seedlings Available for Planting on California’s Post-Fire Forest Restoration

California experienced a severe fire season last year. Many thousands of forested acres have burned both on private and public lands. CAL FIRE assistance programs can help California forest landowners whose forests were affected by fires. One of these programs is the Tree Seedling Nursery Program. This program sells tree seedlings for reforesting forest ownerships.Continue reading “Tree Seedlings Available for Planting on California’s Post-Fire Forest Restoration”